I’ve partnered with Harmons Grocery to bring you three easy Christmas appetizers to serve at your next holiday party. When I was first married, I did a bit of catering. All of the wedding open houses I catered took place during the holidays. I absolutely loved creating menus to reflect the flavors of the holidays. […]
Fyrstekake (Norwegian Cardamom-Almond Tart)
Becky and I are baking together again. This month we’re sharing Scandinavian holiday recipes. Becky is Swedish and I am 1/4 Norwegian. And proud of it! My maternal grandfather was full Norwegian. His father was in immigrant from Karmøy, a small island southwest of Haugesand. We were lucky to be able to visit Norway, including […]
Pfeffernusse Cookies
Pfeffernusse cookies are a family favorite recipe lightly adapted from my very favorite cookbook, Joy of Cooking. The pfeffernusse are lightly sweet, spicy, chewy, and utterly delicious. Christmas cookies are wonderful, aren’t they? Baking favorite recipes together is one of my very favorite parts of the holidays. My husband is the first one who introduced […]
Homemade Eggnog
After making homemade eggnog, you’ll never go back to store-bought. That sickeningly sweet, corn syrupy, gloppy yellow stuff they call eggnog can’t hold a candle to this stuff. Even professed eggnog haters (like I was, formerly), will love it. We make it in big batches so we have enough to share when friends stop […]
Eggnog Creme Cookie Sandwiches with Eggnog Buttercream
This time of year brings memories of my Grandma Maxie and her Christmas cookies. She was a fabulous cook and baker. I still remember her hands, speckled with age spots and knuckles swollen with the beginnings of arthritis, spooning out dough onto a baking sheet. My grandmother and my mother would make spritz cookies when […]
Holiday Q+A: Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas
Scene: It’s 6:00 am Christmas morning. The kids didn’t fall asleep until midnight. You were up late fighting about discussing the assembly of the new toy kitchen with your spouse. Then you still had to put out the presents and fill the stockings. You’ve only slept for what seems minutes instead of hours. The kids have […]
Valentine’s Treats: Homemade Turtles
When I told my daughter we were going to make homemade turtles, she asked if they were going to have “feet and arms and a little head poking out.” She thought it was pretty great that we were going to make turtles out of chocolate and caramel. As I was getting ready to post this, […]
Valentine’s Treats: Cherry-Almond Divinity
My grandmother was the master divinity maker. Her divinity was heavenly. She would tint it pink and add chopped nuts, usually walnuts. It was always a treat. And I think of her every time I make a batch. I made my first batch years ago when I first got my KitchenAid mixer. It is still […]
Peppermint Bark Brownies (The Updated Version)
Peppermint Bark Brownies are a wonderful holiday treat. A dark fudgy brownie is topped with a thick layer of homemade peppermint bark. I still remember the first time I had Peppermint Bark as a child. It was long before it became as popular as it is today. But I was smitten at first bite. What’s […]
Kitchen Q and A: Peppermint Bark Brownies
(Click HERE for the updated recipe.) Peppermint Bark Brownies have one of my most asked for and popular recipes. People love these! The idea for Peppermint Bark Brownies came from my friend, Tania, who brought me brownies topped with a layer of melted (and cooled) Andes Mints when I had my second baby. The following […]